Ten skiers are missing after a powerful avalanche struck near Lake Tahoe, with rescue crews racing against time to locate any survivors. The skiers — a group of four guides and 12 clients — were traveling in the Castle Peak area of the Sierra Nevada near Truckee when the avalanche struck around 11:30 a.m., according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
The slide occurred at an elevation of about 8,200 feet and was classified as a D2.5 avalanche. The Sierra Avalanche Center said that the rating means a “large” to “very large” avalanche — powerful enough to bury someone or cause serious injuries. At least six members of the group managed to survive.
Fighting Against the Force of Nature
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However, they were still waiting to be rescued by Tuesday afternoon, with authorities advising them to stay put for their own safety. The other 10 skiers had not yet been located. Around 50 first responders are now combing the rugged terrain, working to reach those stranded and track down the missing.
A SnoCat crew has also been deployed to help with the difficult rescue effort. The group had arrived in the Sierra Nevada on Sunday and was scheduled to leave on Tuesday from the Frog Lake Huts, a remote lodge operated by the Truckee Donner Land Trust, according to Steve Reynaud of the Sierra Avalanche Center, who spoke to the Press-Democrat.
The land trust warns on its website that common routes to and from the lodge carry “some degree of avalanche hazard.” Reynaud said it appears the skiers were making their way toward the Castle Peak trailhead near the Boreal ski area, alongside Interstate 80.
That route, he added, cuts through terrain filled with “numerous avalanche hazards.”
“An avalanche burying seven to 10 people would be a very large avalanche, or a group being in a bad location, or potentially both,” Reynaud said.
Reynaud said it’s likely the group was carrying basic safety gear such as snow probes and shovels, which are standard precautions in avalanche-prone terrain.
Even so, he explained, “As soon as you have more than one person or multiple people buried, it becomes a much more difficult rescue.” Time is critical in these situations — if someone isn’t uncovered within 10 to 15 minutes, “survival drops off pretty quickly.”
Race Against Time
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The ongoing danger is further complicating rescue efforts. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office warned that conditions remain “highly dangerous,” with an avalanche warning still in place through Wednesday. Heavy snowfall is rapidly piling up on already unstable layers of snow, while powerful winds continue to increase the risk of additional slides.
Moreover, Reynaud noted that the isolated location where the group is stranded has made it much harder for rescue teams to reach the area and carry out their work.
“There’s not an easy way for search and rescue or outside help to get there,” he said. “Even getting rescue personnel to the location to start with has been a major challenge.
“With the weather right now, conditions are not just dangerous, but hard to get around in the backcountry with all this new snow and wind,” Reynaud said.
The Interstate 80 had to be shut down in both directions through the Sierra on Tuesday morning. The highway later reopened around 2:30 p.m., but only for vehicles equipped with tire chains.
The hazardous conditions have also taken a toll on the region’s ski industry, forcing several ski resorts around Lake Tahoe to close entirely or limit their operations for safety reasons.
